Babylon 5: The Battle of the Line
by Sephiroth Deus
Summary: A short story of the Battle of the Line as told from the perspective of a military teep who was there and lived to tell the tale.


**Babylon 5:**

 **The Battle of the Line**

"Are we on? ...This is… this is the President. I've just been informed that our mid range military bases at Beta Durani and Proxima III have fallen to the Minbari advance. We've lost contact with our bases at Io and must conclude that they too have fallen to an advance force. Our military intelligence believes that the Minbari intend to bypass Mars and attack Earth directly, and the attack may come at any time.

"We continue to broadcast our surrender and a plea for mercy. They have not responded. We can therefore only conclude that we stand at the twilight of the human race. In order to buy more time for our evacuation transports to leave Earth, we ask for the support of every ship capable of fighting to take part in a last defense of our homeworld. We will not lie to you. We do not believe that survival is a possibility. We believe that anyone who joins this battle will never come home. But, for every ten minutes we can delay the military advance, several hundred more civilians may have a chance to escape to neutral territory. Though Earth may fall the Human race must have a chance to continue elsewhere.

"No greater sacrifice has been asked of a people but I ask you now, to step forward one last time, one last battle to hold the line against the night.

"May God... go with you all."

President Elizabeth Levy's words were broadcast to all of EarthForce. Surprisingly, few people cried at the truth of it. It was a succinct summation of our situation. We all knew the score. It had been plain as day for the last year. We were delaying the inevitable and hoping for a miracle. And now we had run out of time.

For many, I knew, it was not their death that bothered them. It was the death of their loved ones, of their homeworld, and of the whole human race that drove them to stand on the line. Shoulder to shoulder like a great wall of bodies between the Minbari and Earth. That was why I was there as well.

Many in the Psi Corps saw themselves as superior to the rest of humanity. I did not. I knew better and so did the Minbari. That's why I volunteered to fight them every chance I got. I trained as a military teep and had barely finished my training at the Major Academy before the war broke out.

For three years I'd used my skills to aid in the fight against the Minbari in any way possible. Guarding our military leaders from their telepathic forces. Standing alongside ship captains barking out targeting information for our gunners because while our computers couldn't lock on to their ships a powerful enough telepath could detect the thoughts of their crew and determine their ship's location. I also joined strike teams going to the front lines to capture and telepathically interrogate high ranking targets for their strategies and objectives. We stopped bothering with finding out what they wanted several months after the outbreak of the war. It was simple. They wanted us dead. All of us. They had the means to do it and knew it. And now they were about to.

So there I was strapped in on the bridge of the EAS Caesar. It was one of the few intact Nova class dreadnoughts left in the fleet. We were to be one of the command and control ships for the fleet. Directing the smaller ships to screen our approach so we could bring our heavy cannons to bare against their capital ships. I was by Captain Jesse Nicol. He was the reason the ship was still intact. He never managed to beat the enemy like Captain Sheridan, but he always managed to survive the encounter and often achieved the objective when there was one that wasn't related to combat. That had to count for something.

"Status report," the captain called out.

"Status report. Engineering," the executive officer Commander Kent called out.

"Reactors, engines and life support are all operating within normal parameters sir," came the reply from Lieutenant Lockstone.

"Status report. Navigation."

"Holding position with nothing on sensors sir," replied Lieutenant Watts.

"Status report. Weapons."

"All laser/pulse arrays and interceptors manned and operational sir," replied Lieutenant Smith

"Status report. Starfury squadrons."

A response came over the intercom from Lieutenant Commander Ito, "Starfury wings Alpha and Beta are on patrol. Wings Delta and Omega are recharged and ready to launch on your command sir."

Commander Kent faced the captain, "Ship's systems operating at peak efficiency sir. All gun batteries manned and ready. Starfury wings are on patrol and ready for battle sir."

"Good. " The captain turned to me, "Mr. Evans. What's the mental status of the crew?"

I closed my eyes and opened my mind to everyone's thoughts. I listened to no one in particular. I was just getting a general feeling for the crew's mental state. It was technically a violation of Psi Corps regulations, but by this point neither of us cared a great deal. I'd proven my trustworthiness and he never asked for specifics. It was a compromise we could both live with since it meant getting the most from the crew. When I was done I opened my eyes, "Many are afraid or nervous, but they're all determined to see this through to…" I didn't finish the sentence. I didn't need to. The captain nodded.

"What's the status of the fleet?"

"Most ships have reported in and are ready for orders," XO Kent answered.

"And the rest?"

"Several of the civilian ships have yet to report in sir. I suspect they don't know they need to or perhaps don't know who to report to."

The captain was clearly frustrated. He'd dealt with civilian combat ships before and it had been... problematic. Now on the eve of battle he wasn't going to stand for it. "Get ahold of them quickly. The Minbari could be here any minute."

"Contact the tardy ships. Aye sir. Comms! Get me a list of all the ships who haven't checked in."

"Compile a list of the tardy ships. Aye sir!"

It was important to keep the crew busy to keep their minds off the upcoming battle. Paradoxically this meant running drills and simulations to be ready for that battle. Two of our Starfury squadrons were on patrol at all times with the other two on constant alert. We didn't relax. Couldn't, knowing what was to come. Humans in many ways are excellently suited for crisis situations, but not in the lead up to them. Our minds run their own simulations that tend to be worse than the reality, and we usually have a hard time distinguishing between the two. Not this time though. There isn't much worse than extinction.

Unfortunately the President was correct. We didn't have to wait long for the Minbari. Two hours after her speech there was a contact.

"Sir! Alpha seven is reporting in," a sensor operator called out.

"Put him through."

"Aye sir."

"Alpha seven to base. I'm picking up energy emissions on the horizon."

Captain Nicol responded, "Alpha seven, scout ahead. See what's out there,"

"Affirmative. Any bogies on screen?"

"Negative, Alpha seven. All other squadrons, maintain radio silence until Alpha seven checks this out," Captain Nicol turned to XO Kent, "Launch fighter squadrons Delta and Omega."

"Aye sir! Launching fighters."

It took a few minutes for Alpha Squadron to reach the energy signatures by Luna from it's patrol sector. Enough time for us to get the other two Starfury wings out to take their place on the line. When he reached the location of the sensor readings Alpha seven reported in.

"Closing in on trace emissions. So far, nothing. It might be just an echo or…" Then he saw them. Several Minbari Nial fighters swarming up and over Luna's cratered terrain, "Oh hell." The Minbari fighters opened fire on his Starfury, "We've got a scouting party! Repeat! We've got a scouting party! Hostiles on approach. Locking on."

Alpha leader Sinclair shouted over the comm, "Hold on! Hold on! Alpha seven!" But it was too late. He was splashed almost immediately after that.

"He's gone. Picking up enemy transmissions," replied Wheeler another pilot in Alpha squadron.

"Stay in formation!" Alpha leader ordered, "Hold the line! No one gets through no matter what!"

With that opening exchange the Battle of the Line had begun. Alpha squadron was immediately engaged by the Minbari fighters that had killed Alpha seven. At the same time several more squadrons of Minbari fighters materialized seemingly from out of nowhere to engage our Starfury squadrons. As had happened many times before, these engagements turned into bloodbaths with the Minbari fighters destroying many of our Starfuries within seconds of encountering them.

"Captain! Minbari fighters are engaging," XO Kent said, "Your orders?"

"Order the Tethys frigates to engage. We need to keep the pressure off our fighters so they can do some damage of their own." The Tethys frigate was a tough, lightly armed vessel used mostly for police duty or patrols. Under normal circumstances they would be able to hold their own against fighters, but against the Minbari hitting one of their fighters was more a matter of luck than skill. We simply could not lock on to them and had to resort to blind-firing in their general direction to even have a chance. That's why we needed to relieve pressure off our fighters. Their pilots weren't restricted to just sensors for targeting and so had a better chance of hitting their target. It didn't matter though. As soon as they began to engage the rest of the Minbari fleet arrived.

"Captain! We're detecting jump points opening," a clearly panicked sensor operator yelled.

"Where?"

"...Everywhere," she replied.

From each jump point a Minbari cruiser and several wings of fighters burst forth guns blazing. It was a terrible sight to behold. An unstoppable juggernaut the likes of which we'd never seen before. Captain Nicol ordered the fleet to engage. Then more of their ships came. And then even more. The Battle of the Line lasted just over 77 minutes. Of the estimated 20,000 ships that fought on the side of Earth none were undamaged. After the battle a few dozen were still functional and needed light repairs. About 200 to 300 had varying degrees of damage but were salvageable. The rest were either completely destroyed or unsalvageable and stripped for parts. All but five Starfuries were destroyed and few of their pilots survived their destruction. We lost nearly 260 ships a minute.

When it was the Caesar's time they hit almost every section of the ship and nearly cut it in half before we could even get close. Commander Kent, Lieutenant Watts, Lockstone, and Smith all died in the barrage along with most of the crew. Captain Nicol and I miraculously survived, but for how long we did not know. Alarms were going off everywhere and the entire ship was reduced to emergency lighting. Whether every surface was covered in blood or simply the disturbing red glow of the lights I could not tell.

I heard Captain Nicol call out, "Is anyone still alive!?" Me and several other crewmen responded. "We need to get to the lifeboats! Anyone unhurt help someone who is. All hands abandon ship!" Most of us were bruised and bloody but mobile. The one or two who were severely injured the captain and I unbuckled from their seats and pulled them toward the exit. The zero-g environment assisted in this endeavour.

"Alex. The internal sensors and the comm systems are down. Is there anyone else still alive on the ship?"

As before I opened my mind to the thoughts of the crew. There were several pockets of survivors spread throughout what was left of the ship. All of them were afraid and desperate. I closed my mind and looked at the Captain. "Yes."

"Tell as many as you can to abandon ship."

"Yes sir." I tried to contact as many groups of people as I could as we made our way to the lifeboats. That seemed to be the plan for most of them anyway, but a few were in shock and needed the mental push I provided to get moving. When we got to the lifeboats most were destroyed or had already launched. There was still one left however, but it couldn't fit us all. We put the injured on first with the rest of the crewmembers with us following them. When it was apparent we couldn't all fit I knew what Captain Nicol was going to say.

"Alex, get on!"

"I can't do that sir!"

He looked me square in the eyes, "This is a direct order from your captain. Get on that lifeboat! It's a captain's duty to go down with his ship!"

Several more explosions rocked the ship drawing our attention. When I looked back at him I couldn't do it. "I'm sorry sir, but it's time to sleep."

"What?" A confused look washed over his face before I overloaded his mind and rendered him unconscious. I pushed his body through the lifeboat doors then hit the button to launch it.

I watched for a moment as it shot out into the void. Then, determined to survive and rescue anyone else I came across, I made my way to another level where more lifeboats should have been. I'm not certain what happened next. As I drifted down the ruined halls to other survivors and lifeboats another explosion rocked the ship and then... nothing.

I awoke several days later at the Vacit Hospital in the Metasensory Compound outside Geneva Switzerland. I was told I'd been rescued by the Minbari after they surrendered at the Battle of the Line. I was shocked to say the least. Unfortunately, I also learned that Captain Nicol's lifeboat had been destroyed by those same forces shortly before their surrender. I knew that survival was nearly impossible, but between the two of us I didn't expect to be the one live on. He'd been there for us so many times before I felt I'd owed it to him to save him this one time. I should have done more for him. In the end I condemned him to his death. He was a good man and I think he knew no matter what that it was the end for him. He just wanted to go out on his own terms. I will never forget him.

Following the war I was in recovery for several months. My injuries were extensive given I'd been nearly crushed to death from the hull buckling, but Vacit Hospital was one of the best in the Earth Alliance. When I could finally walk under my own power there was an award ceremony for me. I was one of about two hundred people who survived the battle and the only telepath. The Earth Alliance President herself presented me with the award. It was the only award I ever received for my service to EarthForce due to Psi Corps and EarthForce regulations. I was officially a hero.

Following the ceremony I returned to my apartment in the village of the Metasensory Compound to continue my recovery. To my surprise I found three representatives from the Corps waiting for me there. The first I knew well. I knew him as Mr. Davis. He was my handler during the war. Since every use of a telepath by the government had to be organized and approved by the Corps, he was the one who gave me my missions and debriefings. The other two I didn't know. One was a representative from the Department of Administration while the other came from the Genetics section of the Department of Medicine. They'd come to tell me two things. First, that the Psi Corps was forming a new special forces unit for use by the military called the Alpha Unit, and they wanted me to be it's founding member. And second, that the Corps was enforcing an arranged marriage between me and a woman of my choosing from the list they provided. I had no choice in the matter.


End file.
